“It takes a considerable amount of naivety to believe that what matters to them is the wellbeing of the Iranian citizens, or support for their struggle to free themselves from this oppressive regime.”

…

“For Netanyahu, there are two possible benefits that might be derived: a blow to Iran, and the possibility that this might tip the scales and usher him to victory in the elections,” Nadav Eyal wrote in the daily Yedioth Ahronoth. “Netanyahu probably does not draw any distinction between the strategic aspect and the political aspect, and that is putting things gently.”